Earlier this month, Animal welfare advocates gathered in the state’s capital as part of the second annual New York State Animal Advocacy Day.

Organized by Assemblyman Jim Tedisco, the event was held to show support for stronger anti-cruelty laws in NYS, particularly Tedisco’s bill A.1506A/S.3804A, which would strengthen Buster’s Law, requiring animal abusers to be placed on
a statewide registry of abusers and prohi-biting them from ever owning a companion animal again. The bill would also require that all individuals convicted of an animal cruelty offense would undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

According to Assemblyman Tedisco’s Chief of Staff Adam Kramer, approximately 500 animal advocates, many of whom with their pets by their side, participated in the Albany event. Among those in attendance were Marie Shelto with her bestfriend, Bocker the Labradoodle, Joe Panz of Rescue Ink and animal advocate Italy’s Prince Lorenzo Borghese, along with many others.

After being passed by the State Senate by a wide bi-partisan margin of 57-2 on June 19, six days after the NYS Animal Advocacy Day was held, A.1506A/S.3804A is currently held-up in the Agriculture Committee in the Assembly. In order to help move this bill forward and encourage Assembly leadership to move it out onto the floor where it can be debated and voted on, Assemblyman Tedisco’s office encourages New Yorkers to gather signatures through an online petition at the following link: http://www.jimtedisco.com/?p=480.

In 1999 Assemblyman Tedisco was a driving force behind Buster's Law which created the felony category of aggravated cruelty to animals, punishable by up to two years in prison and a $5,000 fine. The law was named after an 18-month-old cat that after being doused with kerosene was burned to death by a Schenectady teen in 1997.